Promoting local business in Eastern Washington and North Idaho. Catch the buzz!>>

Promoting local business in Eastern Washington and North Idaho. Catch the buzz!>>

First comes Thanksgiving, then Hanukkah, followed by Christmas and the New Year. And nestled in the middle of all the festivities is another long standing tradition in the Inland Northwest: the Santa Slammer youth basketball tournament in Spokane.

This year’s Santa Slammer Winter Classic tournament is set for December 17 and 18 at various venues throughout Spokane and Spokane Valley.

“It’s the best [tournament] we have in the region, without question,” said Matt Santangelo, former Gonzaga basketball standout and current Executive Director of Spokane Hoopfest. “Best facilities, best officiating, and highest level of competition because teams have come from as far away as Boise to come up, enjoy and compete in these tournaments.”

The Santa Slammer tournament features premiere youth competitive teams from all over the Northwest – from Spokane in Eastern Washington, to teams in western Washington, northern Idaho, southern Idaho, eastern Oregon and all over the state of Montana. This year’s tournament is also the exclusive qualifier in Eastern Washington for the AAU State Basketball Championship Tourney.

Teams wanting to play in the Santa Slammer Winter Classic need to have their AAU card. For more information, including signup requirements, go to www.spokaneaau.com.

Established in 1990, Spokane Hoopfest Association organizes and produces the world's largest 3-on-3 street basketball tournament that brings thousands of visitors and millions of dollars to the Spokane community every June. With over 250,000 participants, volunteers and spectators at the event weekend, Hoopfest has a $46 million impact on the Spokane economy each year and has donated over $1.6 million to local charities, including Special Olympics, since 1990. In addition, it manages Spokane Regional AAU Basketball, the Ignite Basketball Association - a community and school-based outreach program that offers a safe, constructive alternative for area youth – and Eastern Washington Elite, and has built over 30 community basketball courts in the region.

Spokane Hoopfest Association is a Washington nonprofit corporation and tax exempt organization under section 501(c)3 of the Internal Revenue Code.

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SPIRIT LAKE, Wash. - A Sagle man is facing charges for breaking into a Spirit Lake home Sunday night. Officers were called to a home on North 8th and Delaware Street at around 10:30pm. The homeowners told police that a man, dressed in a red shirt and light-colored sweatpants had broken into their home. One of the homeowners immediately sprayed the intruder with bear spray.

SPIRIT LAKE, Wash. - A Sagle man is facing charges for breaking into a Spirit Lake home Sunday night. Officers were called to a home on North 8th and Delaware Street at around 10:30pm. The homeowners told police that a man, dressed in a red shirt and light-colored sweatpants had broken into their home. One of the homeowners immediately sprayed the intruder with bear spray.

COEUR D'ALENE, Idaho - Your actions have consequences. On December 30th, 2017, Jacob Leeder was killed by an alleged drunk driver on I-90. In honor of the Leeder family, law enforcement across Kootenai County will be in full force this holiday season to make sure another family doesn’t go through tragedy. Idaho State Police-District 1 says they will have a “no refusal weekend” beginning this weekend.

COEUR D'ALENE, Idaho - Your actions have consequences. On December 30th, 2017, Jacob Leeder was killed by an alleged drunk driver on I-90. In honor of the Leeder family, law enforcement across Kootenai County will be in full force this holiday season to make sure another family doesn’t go through tragedy. Idaho State Police-District 1 says they will have a “no refusal weekend” beginning this weekend.

NEW YORK - The Rolling Stones will be rolling through the United States next year. The band says it's adding a 13-show leg to its No Filter tour in spring 2019 that will hit Florida, Texas, Arizona, California, Washington, Colorado, Pennsylvania, Massachusetts, New Jersey, Illinois and Washington, D.C. The tour kicks off in Miami on April 20. For the past few years the legendary band has mostly played in Europe.

NEW YORK - The Rolling Stones will be rolling through the United States next year. The band says it's adding a 13-show leg to its No Filter tour in spring 2019 that will hit Florida, Texas, Arizona, California, Washington, Colorado, Pennsylvania, Massachusetts, New Jersey, Illinois and Washington, D.C. The tour kicks off in Miami on April 20. For the past few years the legendary band has mostly played in Europe.

Several locals are trying to help the family of an eight-year-old boy, who was randomly stabbed at a gas station Saturday. Rayel Von Quade said she and three others (Salem Rose Sovereign, Quincey Brooks and Dani Loup) have been in touch with the Bush family. (KHQ has reached out to the family and have not heard back.) "They're, of course, very overwhelmed and stressed out right now and she's been dealing with a lot of messages from a lot of people coming through. But she says t...

Several locals are trying to help the family of an eight-year-old boy, who was randomly stabbed at a gas station Saturday. Rayel Von Quade said she and three others (Salem Rose Sovereign, Quincey Brooks and Dani Loup) have been in touch with the Bush family. (KHQ has reached out to the family and have not heard back.) "They're, of course, very overwhelmed and stressed out right now and she's been dealing with a lot of messages from a lot of people coming through. But she says t...

FLATHEAD COUNTY, Mont. - It's been roughly 18 months since a 26-year-old Spokane Valley man traveled to Montana for work, never to be seen again. The many loved ones of Corey Flannigan try to stay optimistic that one day, answers about what happened to him, will come. "I hate to call it a cold case after 18 months," said Flathead County Sheriff's Office Detective Rich Schuster.

FLATHEAD COUNTY, Mont. - It's been roughly 18 months since a 26-year-old Spokane Valley man traveled to Montana for work, never to be seen again. The many loved ones of Corey Flannigan try to stay optimistic that one day, answers about what happened to him, will come. "I hate to call it a cold case after 18 months," said Flathead County Sheriff's Office Detective Rich Schuster.

FORT WORTH, Texas - Police in the Fort Worth area say a 2-year-old girl died after a caregiver hit her with a belt and burned her buttocks for discipline. Police were called to an apartment in Arlington early Saturday because a child wasn't breathing. Aniyah Darnell was pronounced dead at a hospital. An autopsy will determine the cause of death.

FORT WORTH, Texas - Police in the Fort Worth area say a 2-year-old girl died after a caregiver hit her with a belt and burned her buttocks for discipline. Police were called to an apartment in Arlington early Saturday because a child wasn't breathing. Aniyah Darnell was pronounced dead at a hospital. An autopsy will determine the cause of death.

HAMBURG, Pa. - Family and friends are mourning a couple killed in a fiery chain-reaction crash while driving to their wedding in Pittsburgh. State police say 35-year-old Kathryn Schurtz and her fiance, Joseph Kearny, were driving on Interstate 78 on Wednesday when they encountered heavy traffic from an earlier crash.

HAMBURG, Pa. - Family and friends are mourning a couple killed in a fiery chain-reaction crash while driving to their wedding in Pittsburgh. State police say 35-year-old Kathryn Schurtz and her fiance, Joseph Kearny, were driving on Interstate 78 on Wednesday when they encountered heavy traffic from an earlier crash.

JBS USA has recalled nearly 100,000 pounds of ground beef due to concerns about possible e-coli contamination. The products have the establishment number Est.628 and were produced on October 24th. Products that were recalled were shipped to distributors in retail locations in California, Nevada, Oregon, Utah and Washington.

JBS USA has recalled nearly 100,000 pounds of ground beef due to concerns about possible e-coli contamination. The products have the establishment number Est.628 and were produced on October 24th. Products that were recalled were shipped to distributors in retail locations in California, Nevada, Oregon, Utah and Washington.

TRENTON, N.J. - An attorney for a woman charged with scamming GoFundMe donors with a story about a homeless veteran says she was duped by her former boyfriend. James Gerrow tells ABC's "Good Morning America" that Mark D'Amico was "calling the shots." Gerrow says Katelyn McClure thought she was helping Marine vet Johnny Bobbitt.

TRENTON, N.J. - An attorney for a woman charged with scamming GoFundMe donors with a story about a homeless veteran says she was duped by her former boyfriend. James Gerrow tells ABC's "Good Morning America" that Mark D'Amico was "calling the shots." Gerrow says Katelyn McClure thought she was helping Marine vet Johnny Bobbitt.

PORT ANGELES, Wash. - A magnitude 4.1 earthquake has shaken an area beneath Olympic National Park south of Port Angeles. The U.S. Geological Survey says the earthquake hit just after 3 a.m. Monday. There were no immediate reports of damage. According to the agency's website, people in the region reported feeling weak to light shaking.

PORT ANGELES, Wash. - A magnitude 4.1 earthquake has shaken an area beneath Olympic National Park south of Port Angeles. The U.S. Geological Survey says the earthquake hit just after 3 a.m. Monday. There were no immediate reports of damage. According to the agency's website, people in the region reported feeling weak to light shaking.